Looking for practical Sami North to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sami North phrase first, then the Tswana translation (Tswana) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Tswana.
Tip: when a Tswana phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Sami North wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sami North to Tswana translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Bures
Dumela(bures)
Giitu
Ke a leboga(giitu)
Buorre eahket
Dumelang(buorre eahket)
Buorre beaivi
Dumela mo afternoon(buorre beaivi)
Buorre iđit
Dumela mo evening(buorre iđit)
Buorre natti
Borai(buorre natti)
Bures boahtin
Tsamaya sentle(bures boahtin)
Ráhkisvuohta
Tsamaya sentle(ráhkisvuohta)
Mii du namma lea?
O na le leina mang?(mii du namma lea)
Mun namma lea John
Leina la me ke John(mun namma lea John)
Gii du lea?
O kae?(gii du lea)
Bures boahtin
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(bures boahtin)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Don leat englalaš?
A o bua Seisemane?(Don leat englalaš?)
Mun in lea hindi gohčodaga
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(Mun in lea hindi gohčodaga)
Mun in boahtte
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(Mun in boahtte)
Váldde čáhkkáldat
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(Váldde čáhkkáldat)
Várra gohččat dán again?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(Várra gohččat dán again?)
Gii lea báhkkis?
Borai bo kae?(Gii lea báhkkis?)
Mii lea muohta gávdno?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(Mii lea muohta gávdno?)
Váldde oassal
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(Váldde oassal)
Váldde dehálaš
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(Váldde dehálaš)
Geahččat suohkan
Tswelela ka fao(Geahččat suohkan)
Mii lea gávdno?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(Mii lea gávdno?)
Okta billeta, please
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Okta billeta, please)
Lea dat láhka da?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(Lea dat láhka da?)
Mun lean bohtos
Ke a latlhela(Mun lean bohtos)
Gii lea muohta SIM-kortta?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(Gii lea muohta SIM-kortta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ja
Ee
Ii
Nnyaa
Mii
Mafoko
Mun ođđa
Ke a dumela
Mun ii ođđa
Ke sitwa go dumela
Dasa lea buorre
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Mii du váldde?
O akanya eng?
Sii mii geahččat mu?
O ka nthusa?
Mun háliid geahččat
Ke tlhoka thuso
Váldde ieš
Emisa motsotso
Mun lea áibbas
Ke maswabi
Ii proplema
Ga go na bothata
Báhkkus
A re amogele
Buorre álbmotbeivvi
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Váldde beaivvi buorre
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Mii lea raššabáikkit?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Mii lea bussibaikkit?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Mii platforma lea?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Mii dihte lea?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Lea dehálaš vejola?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Dat lea njuolga
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Dat lea muohta
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Sii máhcá muohta?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Dán, please
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Mii lea áibbas?
E tsaya nako e kae?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mii lea gohčodit?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Dát lea muhtun dearvvaš
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Don leat geahččat muhtun?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Sii mun sáhte ákkis?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Mun háliidan duohken guovttos
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bille, please
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Lea servihkka gohčodaga?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Mun lean veahkki
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Ihkká muhtun mat
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Dát lea njuolggad
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Sii mun sáhte menuhit?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Vátta, please
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Soažžat poliija
Bua le mapolesa
Soažžat ambulánsa
Bua le ambulance
Mii dušše doktara
Ke tlhoka ngaka
Mii lea vuordde
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
Mii lean allergalaš maŋŋebárga
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Gii lea najdduhaš sávkkas?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Dát lea gárttá
Go botlhoko fa
Mii lea váldde mu passu
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Sii sáhte soažžat mu hotellii?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Hjálp!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Buerie bisseha
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(buerie bisseha)
Mii dárbbašat dohkkehuvvan
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(mii dárbbašat dohkkehuvvan)
Mii čuovgga leat du?
Nako efe e go thusang?
Mun sendá reportta ihttin
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Mii sáhte gohččat ovttas?
A re ka bua ka borai?
Dárbbašat fálla geavahuvvan
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Giitu du máŋga
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Mun geahččat dohkkehuvvan du
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Sáhte du geahččat dán áiggi?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Mii dárbbašat geahččat du
A ke boele go wena
Dáhpáhusa lea friddjá
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.